Methods for manufacturing a paint roller and component parts thereof

Abstract

Described is a method of making a non-porous composite cover material formed of a pile material and an adhesive layer made from polypropylene or predominantly from polypropylene. A width of the pile material is advanced, and a layer of adhesive is applied thereupon. The adhesive is allowed to set, and the width of material is longitudinally cut into strips of composite cover material. Laminated paint rollers are thereafter made by helically one or two strips of polypropylene or strips made predominantly of polypropylene about a mandrel and applying a layer of adhesive made from polypropylene or predominantly from polypropylene on the strip or strips, and applying a non-porous composite cover material. A compressive force is applied upon the outer surface of the composite cover material to urge the composite cover material, the layer of adhesive and strip or strips of thermoplastic material together against the mandrel, thereby laminating the inner surface of the composite cover material and the strip or strips together and forming a continuous product that can be cut and finished to make paint rollers.

1. A method of making a composite cover material having an outer surface comprising pile and a smooth non-porous inner surface, the cover material for use in a method of making a laminated paint roller comprising the steps of, helically winding a strip of polypropylene material around a mandrel so as to form a helically wound strip, the strip having an outer surface, advancing the wound strip along the mandrel, applying a layer of polypropylene adhesive onto an outer surface of the wound strip, wrapping a strip of cover material about the wound strip and over the layer of adhesive and applying compression from without the cover material to urge the cover material, the layer of adhesive and strip of polypropylene material together thereby laminating the cover material to the strip, the method of making a cover material comprising the steps of:
 advancing a width of pile material having an underside and a pile side, underside up and pile side down, beneath a rotating roller; 
 depositing a layer of molten material, the molten material predominantly comprising polypropylene, on the rotating roller such that the layer of molten material comes in contact with and is compressed against the underside of the advancing width of pile material as the pile material passes beneath the rotating roller and before the layer of molten material has a chance to harden and set; 
 permitting the molten material to harden and set while in contact with the advancing width of pile material thereby forming a non-porous backed pile material; and 
 cutting the non-porous backed pile material into strips of cover material. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of making a composite cover material according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive force is applied to a top side of the layer of molten material before the layer hardens and sets, to smooth the top side of the layer, and to urge the layer of molten material and the pile material together, thereby forming the non-porous backed pile material with a smooth side and a pile side, and wherein the pile is held fast on the fabric and the fabric is stiffened for handling. 
     
     
       3. The method of making a composite cover material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pile material is a knit material. 
     
     
       4. The method of making a composite cover material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pile material is a woven material. 
     
     
       5. The method of making a composite cover material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pile material is a microfiber material. 
     
     
       6. The method of making a composite cover material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rotating roller is cooled such that the compressive force is applied by a cooled roller. 
     
     
       7. The method of making a composite cover material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rotating roller is heated such that the compressive force is applied by a heated roller.